Burlington teachers vote to strike next week

Teachers surround Burlington Education Association President Fran Brock on Thursday as she announces a teacher strike to begin Wednesday. Photo by Kelsey Neubauer/VTDiggerBURLINGTON — The city’s teachers have voted to go on strike Wednesday if the school board doesn’t agree to reopen contract negotiations.

Ninety-five percent of teachers voted to strike. “There was no question,” Brock said.

A spokesperson for the school board could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.

This is the second year in a row the Burlington union has voted to strike after the board imposed working conditions. Last fall an agreement to resume negotiating averted a walkout just hours before it was to begin.

This year the two sides again failed to reach agreement on pay increases and health care contributions. Teachers also hoped to continue negotiations about their schedules, Brock said during informational picketing Tuesday.

Without further negotiations, high school teachers could be assigned a sixth class instead of being able to use the time for preparation and student-directed programming, she said.